Solar powered airplanes are happening now.
French pilot, entrepreneur, and scientist, Raphaël Dinelli has been developing a new type of plane for over seven years. Called the 'Eraole', the plane is powered only by biofuels and solar energy.
When the sun is out, the Eraole is powered by the solar cells built into its wings. When there is no sun, the engine is powered by an algae-based biofuel. What's more, the super-lightweight plane will get around 20 percent of its power simply by gliding through the sky.
This game-changing machine, built by Dinelli's alternative energy company, Laboratoire Océan Vital, will have its challenges however. In order to reduce weight and energy consumption, the plane will have a cramped cockpit, a pressurized cabin that will provide 30 percent less oxygen than normal, and not to mention, no autopilot for what will be a 60-hour flight.
Dinelli hopes the maiden voyage will serve as a way to boost awareness of the environmental consequences of air travel and carbon dioxide release involved in modern transportation. As The New York Times writes, "For many people reading this, air travel is their most serious environmental sin. One round-trip flight from New York to Europe or to San Francisco creates a warming effect equivalent to 2 or 3 tons of carbon dioxide per person. The average American generates about 19 tons of carbon dioxide a year; the average European, 10."
At the moment, the Eraole is rather slow and small. The top speed is 62mph - about one-tenth the speed of a commercial jet. But, it represents the first steps in a major shift in renewable energy for aviation. As Dinelli told CNN, "People investigating non-carbon flight are no longer seen as a bunch of eccentric dreamers."
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By Minds.com
